we're all stories in the end

We are currently playing host to purplefringe's dad's cat. He is called Pixel and is adorable. He has also discovered my collection of soft toys, and is surprisingly gentle with them but is clearly a mighty hunter and noble warrior.

( pictures )

Pretty people and cute animals below the cut. :D

( image heavy )

I always appreciate cleolinda's posts about living with mental illness, and today's resonated: A cheerful way to start December (discussion of depression, mention of eating disorders, eta: also discusses the perceived 'legitimacy' of physical illness in a way that does not reflect everyone's experiences). This stood out to me particularly as words to live by:

Because even when you grasp the idea that depression is an ailment and not a personal failing... it still feels like a personal failing. You know you're clinically depressed, but you feel like you're just lazy, lonely, hopeless, pathetic. Or sometimes you don't realize you're ill, because those feelings of anxiety and shame and helplessness sneak up on you and feel legitimate, and that's why you don't realize you need help. I mean, I've been on medication and under quarterly medical supervision for fourteen years now and my own mood cycles still sneak up on me, over and over. It's hard to teach yourself to say, "You are an awesome person, and your awesomeness is a default, and so if you feel less than awesome, you need to get your awesome tuned up."

And this is a COMPLETELY charming story about a found family consisting of a cat and a dog, complete with pictures. The story of Shaun and Meow. <3

+ While an LJ meme may not exactly be the best venue, I am all for encouraging people to feel able to speak up if there's a problem, so. My thread on the 'I've always wanted to tell you' meme.

+ With BAM Vid Vault about to go under, the need for a vid archive of our own becomes ever-more pressing! ao3vidders/ao3vidders is starting up to encourage donations/other assistance for an AO3 vid service, with an auction fundraiser to come.

+ three_weeks_for_dw starts up on Monday, and torachan is hosting a transfic mini fest. Go, leave prompts, start writing fic!

+ obsessive24 made Mama, a vid of the BBC production of Hamlet starring David Tennant. It's fabulous.

+ glass_icarus is proclaiming a week of win, which I think is an excellent idea. I therefore finish this post with a ( kitten! ) (I'm sensing this may become a theme.)